General Information

Microsoft Visio

Version

Group

Web page (if available)

Main Purpose of the Tool

Visio is a general drawing tool for many types of models. The ability to create customized drawing stencils makes it possible to add support for new modeling frameworks such as i*.

i* framework supported

Availability of the tool

( ) For i* modelling only

( ) For development only

(X) Both

If not available, please specify expected date of availability:

Programming Language

Proprietary

Platform Requirements

Windows

Other technology needed

Current state of the tool

Stable

Ongoing work

Yes

i* Modelling Suitability

In general, the stability and power of Visio is useful; however default visio stencils are not "smart" in that they are not aware about properties of the objects they're modeling. Therefore there are no syntax rules enforced and relationships between objects are not specialized. However, the snap and glue feature is useful as it retains the connection between links and elements.

1. Does the tool allow SD modelling?

Yes

2. Does the tool allow SR modelling?

Yes

3. Does the tool allow working with SD & SR models jointly?

Sort ofIf so, please specify how (i.e., by means of expandable elements).
Save and SR model, then delete the inner elements to get an SD model (this is basically a hack).

4. Does the tool allow the construction of the models graphically?

YesIf so, please specify how (i.e., dragging and dropping the elements into a drawing page).
Dragging and dropping elements from a stencil

5. Does the tool allow the construction of the models textually?

NoIf so, please specify how (i.e., filling a dependency table).

6. Describe how the elements are modelled and their flexibility (i.e., the elements can be moved and reordered).

The elements are very flexible in terms of movement and size.

7. Describe how the dependency links are modelled and their flexibility (i.e., dependencies are modelled with straight lines that can not be redirected).

Dependency links behave as typical graphical lines, snapped to the elements on either side.

8. Does the tool allow automatic organization of the elements?

Only via visio reports, not a graphical organization.

9. Other modelling facilities provided by the tool:

Many

10. Does the tool check SD models?

No

11. Does the tool check SR models?

No

12. Other checks provided by the tool (i.e., cross validation between SD and SR models).

None

13. Does the tool allow working with two or more models at the same time?

Yes

14. Does the tool allow to group models in projects?

No

15. Does the tool allow working with two or more projects at the same time?

No

16. What are the other functionalities that the tool provides?

Standard microsoft functionalities

Usability

17. Rate the understandability of the user interface

( ) Internal use

( ) Ready for public use

(X) Has been used publicly

If it is not ready for public use, mark one or more of the following:

( ) not in English

( ) writing not polished

( ) poor usability (colours, ...)

( ) others: please specify

Expected date for public use (if any):

18. Rate the quality of the user manual

( ) Inexistent

( ) Internal use

( ) Ready for public use

(X) Has been used publicly

If user manual for internal use, mark one or more of the following:

( ) incomplete

( ) obsolete

( ) not in English

( ) writing not polished

( ) others: please specify

Expected date for public use (if any):

19. Does the tool provides i* learning facilities?

No

20. Does the tool provide any examples for the users?

Yes

21. Rate the difficulty of installing the tool

( ) Copy files and initializing paths

( ) Copy files

(X) Executable installation file provided

Maturity of the Tool

22. Rate the maturity of the tool from the user point of view:

( ) Under Development

( ) Prototype

( ) Ready for public use

(X) Has been used publicly

If not for public use, mark one or more of the following:

( ) incomplete

( ) occasional testing

( ) non-exhaustive testing

( ) non-persistent data

( ) poor efficiency

( ) not portable

( ) others: please specify

Expected date for public use (if any):

23. Has the tool been used for any case study?

Yes

U of T Kids Help Phone Study

24. Has the tool been tested in large models?

Yes

25. Has the tool any drawback when working with very large models?

No

26. Which is approximately the maximum size of the model (in terms of actors and dependencies) the tool has been used for?